Stretch Mark Removal with COLLOST^® Gel

Stretch marks, or striae, localized mainly in areas where the skin stretches particularly strongly, are scar-like changes in the epidermis resulting from microtrauma to its fibers.

Stretch marks themselves pose no threat to health, belonging to the category of purely cosmetic defects. However, in some cases, their appearance may be a warning sign of endocrine problems. Therefore, if the skin begins to develop unexplained scars, you should consult an endocrinologist as soon as possible.

Stretch Marks on Body Skin — Causes and Treatment

The causes of stretch marks can vary. Striae on the skin are a natural consequence of its excessive stretching during pregnancy. The skin suffers similar deformations when the body rapidly gains weight due to overeating or taking hormonal medications, or conversely, during rapid weight loss.

Stretch mark removal is not a simple task; however, with a comprehensive approach and the application of special techniques, it has an effective solution. The sooner you begin treating striae, the faster you’ll be able to clear them from the body.

Causes of Stretch Mark Formation

Striae appear with microtrauma to the superficial layer of skin and the subcutaneous tissue beneath it. Often the cause of stretch marks may lie in a genetic predisposition factor to collagen deficiency—a protein produced by the body that gives skin its elastic properties. The body, as a self-regulating system, strives to restore skin integrity and forms areas of connective tissue in the form of scars in problem areas, which are called striae.

Common Causes of Stretch Marks

Of course, the most significant reason for stretch mark formation is excessive skin stretching under increased physical stress; however, the body may also suffer from their appearance against the background of hormonal imbalance.

Stretch marks most often can occur:

• After weight loss, particularly against the background of excessive dieting and water-salt balance disturbances
• During pregnancy, which is due to fetal growth and the associated stress on the skin
• After childbirth and breastfeeding, when the baby’s birth leads to intensive contraction of abdominal muscles, and weaning the child from the breast provokes its sudden sagging

Stretch Mark Locations

Typically, atrophic scar-striae appear in places where the skin is subject to strong stretching or is thinned.

• Breasts. Striae on the breasts form during pregnancy or in the postpartum period when the baby is weaned from the breast and it suddenly sags.
• Abdomen. Striae typically occur in the lower abdomen during prolonged overstrain of the anterior abdominal wall muscles.
• Thighs. Striae always appear both on the inner and outer thigh surfaces, where the skin is particularly delicate.
• Buttocks. Formation of striae in the gluteal area is noted in pregnant women, which is due to hormonal changes. However, among both women and men, stretch marks on the buttocks can be a consequence of obesity.

Who Can Get Stretch Marks

Groups of people susceptible to stretch marks are diverse and extensive. In particular, they may include:

• Children. Usually striae occur in children prone to connective tissue dysplasia. Stretch marks can also appear due to genetic predisposition, provoking hereditary tendency to fullness or collagen synthesis dysfunction.
• Adolescents. Statistical results indicate that about 15% of adolescents suffer from stretch marks of various localizations. This is explained by intensive hormonal changes during adolescence. Adolescent striae are transient in nature; as they mature, they typically disappear. Therefore, striae removal in adolescence is not practiced.
• Women. This is the main risk group among people susceptible to striae. In girls, stretch marks appear during puberty and body formation; in pregnant women—due to fetal growth; after childbirth—due to sudden decrease in body weight; and in old age, striae formation may be a consequence of hormonal restructuring of the body.
• Men. Stretch marks typically occur in those men who engage in heavy physical labor or intensively build mass, including when using corticosteroids or overeating.
• Athletes. Most often, stretch marks appear in bodybuilder athletes taking steroid medications, including not only men but also women. Along with their positive effect when taken in normal dosage, the desire to enhance the effect by exceeding steroid doses negatively affects skin condition—skin fibers, thinning, tear, forming striae.

Stretch Mark Treatment

Striae removal is a troublesome procedure. For a long time, the only radical measures against stretch marks were chemical and laser peels, as well as surgical removal of striae. However, skin restoration by each of these methods is accompanied by painful sensations and often leads to complications. Moreover, treating old stretch marks was particularly dangerous. A true revolution in the «striae treatment» category was injection therapy using COLLOST® collagen gel.

How to Get Rid of Stretch Marks with COLLOST^® Gel

COLLOST® collagen gel is a unique biological material based on natural collagen. The essence of collagen therapy method is that gel injections into the striae area lead to synthesis of the body’s own collagen, which results in complete restoration of the skin’s elastic properties.

COLLOST^® gel for striae has proven itself in clinical trials as a highly effective alternative to traditional methods, as it reduces all their negative manifestations to virtually zero. Aesthetic surgery has given a worthy evaluation to the new biomaterial, making it increasingly in demand.